Four Great Tips On Giving Your Koi The Royal Treatment.

As Japan's national fish, koi are known for their appealing colours and an exquisite outer layer which can leave the beholder mesmerized. Ranked among the most entertaining fish that can be found, these are Japan's most popular freshwater fish.

The koi fish are a magnificent and graceful species of fish. They are a great fish to have in the pond and are truly one of God's most unique and beautiful creations.

Koi fish live longer then other pond fish and this is the primary reason why aquarium owners prefer keeping these over other fish. The important question is how can you take great care of these marvellous creations.

Tank Environment and Water Quality

To begin with, create an environment suitable for the koi fish. This revolves around keeping a large and deep pond in which they have enough space to swim freely and without any hindrance. Make sure the water has the right amount of ammonia and then PH should be in the given range maintain the health of the koi.

Feeding tips:

Being omnivores, koi fish need a balanced diet. A koi's diet should have at least 28% protein for it to be in a healthy state. Koi fish have a diet that is much richer than that of other fish. Don't compromise on their highly specific diet by purchasing food for other fish - buy food made specifically for koi.

Their digestive system is incapable of digesting carbohydrates so make sure that carb-rich foods like bread, cereals, or dog biscuits are kept far away from the koi fish. Place some suitable plants in the pond or aquarium so that your koi fish have a well balanced diet. This will help the koi grow properly as all their vitamin and mineral requirements will be managed.

Give small portions of food throughout the day. During the winter reduce this intake of food and during extremely cold weather completely stop giving food to the fish.

Protecting koi from diseases:

Ensure that any new koi fish being introduced to the pond are free of any diseases. The new comer should be in a healthy state to keep other inhabitants of the aquarium healthy.

In case a fish does catch disease, you should take appropriate measures immediately.

First, remove it from the pond and keep it separate. koi fish can sometimes suffer from diseases such as ICH (where spots appear on the body), Chilodinella, Costia (noticeable reddening of fins, experience difficulty with breathing), and Odinium (where velvety gold dust shows on the koi's skin).

Be on the watch for these signs and take suitable measures as soon as possible.

Handling koi fish:

In order to handle the koi fish properly take guidance from other owners. These fish should be taken seriously and kept in a comfortable environment.

If the fish are not handled properly, their outer layer can get damaged resulting in fungal and bacterial disease outbreaks. For obvious reasons the number of male koi fish should be greater then female ones to desist male fish from fighting over females.

Travis Taylor is a Koi fish keeper and breeding enthusiast, and enjoys helping others get started in this amazing hobby by sharing his knowledge of Koi Care and Treatment.

His newest book,"Koi Care Secrets," teaches Koi Fish owners everything they need to know about caring for their pets. http://www.koicareguide.com